Monday, June 26, 2006

This time next week I will be waking up on Hatteras Island. Seagulls, pounding surf and new for this year, the hum of a pool filter will fill my ears when I step outside to gage the days humidity. We've been vacationing there for the last ten years. Plans start being made in January when the new reality rental book arrives. It takes about a week for all parties involved to agree on which house we'll rent. The coveted July 4th week is a must. Last year was the first time in ten years I watched fireworks from my back yard and not the upper deck of a beach house. We go in halves with my brothers family, my sons Godfather and usually 2 friends for my niece and son. Nine of us total. This year the house we picked has a pool. We've never had a pool in all the years we've been making the 14 hour drive to North Carolina's outer banks. I hope we'll still go to the beach!If you get an opportunity to visit, you'll agree, it's the most relaxing place on the east coast.

This year will certainly be different. Along with having a dog or two on vacation, there will be an uncertain feeling of relaxation for one of us. There are many good, caring people going on this trip, with the exception of one, and that one can only hope to some day make ammends with this close knit group.

We had doggie snow boots for our dog when I was a kid. She kept trying to kick them off, so we (my dad) ran string from the front right to the back left and from the front left to the back right in an X shape across her back, like idiot mittens. It was really funny to watch her run and try to kick all four boots off at the same time. But maybe those would work for your dog...